The Shire of Crows Nest was a
local government area
A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a State (administrative division), state, province, divi ...
in the
Darling Downs region of
Queensland, Australia, immediately northeast of the regional city of
Toowoomba. The shire, administered from the town of
Crows Nest, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1913 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils in the Toowoomba area to form the
Toowoomba Region. Its growth in later years has been fuelled by the expansion of Toowoomba, particularly the suburbs of
Highfields and
Blue Mountain Heights which, with a combined population of 7,333 in 2006, were home to over half the shire's population.
History
Crows Nest was named after an
Aboriginal
Aborigine, aborigine or aboriginal may refer to:
*Aborigines (mythology), in Roman mythology
* Indigenous peoples, general term for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area
*One of several groups of indigenous peoples, see ...
man called Jimmy Crow, who lived in a hollow tree near the present council swimming pool. Timber hauling bullock teams would stop in this area overnight and Jimmy Crow used to give them directions. There is a 6 ft statue of Jimmy Crow in Centenary Park, Crows Nest to honour this legend.
The first local government in the area was the
Highfields Division #REDIRECT Shire of Highfields
The Shire of Highfields is a former local government area on the Darling Downs in Queensland, Australia. It existed between 1879 and 1949.
History
On 11 November 1879, the Highfields Division was created as one of ...
, which was incorporated on 11 November 1879 under the ''Divisional Boards Act 1879''. With the passage of the ''Local Authorities Act 1902'', Highfields Division became the
Shire of Highfields
The Shire of Highfields is a former local government area on the Darling Downs in Queensland, Australia. It existed between 1879 and 1949.
History
On 11 November 1879, the Highfields Division was created as one of 74 divisions within Queenslan ...
on 31 March 1903.
On 25 January 1913, the Shire of Crows Nest was excised from the Shire of Highfields,
initially over a somewhat smaller area. When the Shires of Highfields and
Drayton Drayton may refer to:
People
* Drayton (surname)
Legal cases
* ''United States v. Drayton'', 536 U.S. 194 (2002)
Places Australia
*Drayton, Queensland, a locality in the Toowoomba Region
*Shire of Drayton, a former local government area in Queen ...
were abolished on 19 March 1949, part of each was included within the Shire of Crows Nest.
[ The council had two divisions each of which returned four councillors, and a separately elected chairman (mayor from 1993).
On 15 March 2008, under the ''Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007'' passed by the ]Parliament of Queensland
The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. As provided under the Constitution of Queensland, the Parliament consists of the Monarch of Australia and the Legislative Assembly. It has been the only unicameral s ...
on 10 August 2007, the Shire of Crows Nest merged with the City of Toowoomba and the Shires of Cambooya, Clifton
Clifton may refer to:
People
*Clifton (surname)
*Clifton (given name)
Places
Australia
* Clifton, Queensland, a town
**Shire of Clifton
*Clifton, New South Wales, a suburb of Wollongong
*Clifton, Western Australia
Canada
*Clifton, Nova Scotia ...
, Jondaryan
Jondaryan is a rural town and locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Jondaryan had a population of 385 people.
Geography
The Western railway line passes through the locality. The now-closed Jondaryan ...
, Millmerran
Millmerran , known as Domville between 1 June 1889 and 16 November 1894, is a town and a locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Millmerran had a population of 1,563 people.
Geography
The town is on the ...
, Pittsworth and Rosalie to form the Toowoomba Region.
Towns and localities
The Shire of Crows Nest includes the following settlements:
* Crows Nest
* Birnam1
* Blue Mountain Heights1
* Cabarlah
Cabarlah is a rural town and locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. In the the locality of Cabarlah had a population of 1,075 people.
Geography
Cabarlah is approximately north of the Toowoomba city centre and has an area o ...
* Cawdor
* Djuan
* Geham
Geham is a rural locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Geham had a population of 489 people.
Geography
The New England Highway passes through Geham. The northwest boundary is aligned with Cooby Creek.
Climate
The ...
* Haden
* Hampton
* Highfields1
* Meringandan
Meringandan is a rural locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Meringandan had a population of 487 people.
Geography
The town is located on the Darling Downs near Highfields, NNW of Toowoomba.
It is drained by the ...
* Pechey
* Ravensbourne
* Spring Bluff1
1 – split with the former City of Toowoomba
Chairmen
The following were the chairmen of the Crows Nest Shire Council
The Shire of Crows Nest was a Local government in Australia, local government area in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia, immediately northeast of the regional city of Toowoomba, Queensland, Toowoomba. The shire, administered from ...
.[ The use of the title ''mayor'' was only introduced in 1993.
]
Population
# The estimated 1947 population of the post-1949 area was 4,036.[''Queensland Year Book'', No.11 (1950), p.47.]
Notable residents
* John French VC (1914–1942)
* Ben Walker Rugby League Player
* Chris Walker Rugby League Player
* Shane Walker Rugby League Player
Schools
* Amaroo Environmental Education Centre
* Crows Nest Special Education Unit
* Crows Nest State High School
* Crows Nest State Primary School
* Geham State Primary School
* Haden State Primary School
* Highfields State Primary School
* Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School
* Meringandan State Primary School
* St Peters (Ironbark) Lutheran College
* Toowoomba Christian College
References
Further reading
*
External links
University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Crows Nest Shire
Crows Nest Photographic Memory
The Photographic Memories competition held in Crows Nest Shire, Queensland. From the State Library of Queensland 'Queensland Stories' collection.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crows Nest Shire
Former local government areas of Queensland
Darling Downs
Toowoomba
2008 disestablishments in Australia
Populated places disestablished in 2008